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Northern Ireland (Operation Banner)
A brief honeymoon as peace keepers between two warring communities locked in civil unrest descended into a virtual civil war ...
Roger Guest Southerst was commissioned into The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in 1954.He served a three year tour with 2 PARA from 1957, initially as a platoon commander with A Coy and then Mortar Platoon. He then became the Signals Officer and also married Anne in 1959.
Promoted to Captain in 1960, he temporarily took command of HQ Coy, before reverting to Regimental Signals Officer. He rejoined the DWR later that year in Kenya.
On his return from Kenya Roger transferred permanently to The Parachute Regiment in 1962, and was posted as Adjutant to the 17th Battalion (TA) from 1962-64. A posting to 3 Division followed.
Promoted to Major in 1967 he served as a staff officer at the Army Air Transport Training and Development Centre (AATDC) prior to becoming commander of A Coy 1 PARA in 1968. He deployed with 1 PARA to Northern Ireland for its first tour in October 1969.
He went on to serve as Regimental Adjutant from 1971 to 1974. Promoted to Lt Col in 1974 he was appointed as the Commanding Officer of The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Depot from 1974 to 1977.
Roger was promoted to Colonel in 1980. His later appointments included Military Attaché at the British Embassy in Paris and Military Adviser in Kenya, prior to retirement from the Army in 1988.
Service History
- 1954 The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (Lieutenant)
- 1957 The 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) (Lieutenant)
- 1960 The 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) (Captain)
- 1960 The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (Captain)
- 1962 17th Battalion (TA) (Captain)
- 1964 3 Division (Captain)
- 1966 The 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) (Temporary Major)
- 1967 Army Air Transport Training & Development Centre (AATDC) (Major)
- 1968 The 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment (1 PARA) (Major)
- 1971 Regimental Headquarters Parachute Regiment (RHQ PARA) (Captain)
- 1974 Depot The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces (Lieutenant-Colonel)
- 1977 Assistant Military Secretary HQ British Army of the Rhine (Lieutenant-Colonel)
- 1980 Military Attaché British Embassy Paris (Colonel)
- 1984 Military Adviser Kenya (Colonel)
